October 29, 2007 Ten Benefits of the Two Referee, Two Linesman System • No longer have to pay all those royalties to the guy who wrote "Three Blind Mice." • Whistles can be tuned to different keys and in-game officiating crew becomes post-game barbershop quartet. • Allows fans to make side bets on which ref calls more penalties and which linesman throws more guys out of face-offs. • Trail official can help immobile defensemen to the bench for a line change. • Conspiracy theorists have another guy to blame for hosing their team. • Stock price rises for zebra-print garment manufacturers. • What's more beautiful than the graceful skating stride of an official? • With skyrocketing oil prices, having another guy to chip in for gas is a godsend. • Gives NCAA larger selection pool for officiating Frozen Four games now that Steve Piotrowski has retired. • Decided advantage in street rumbles with basketball officials (as if that didn't exist already).